Google+ Revamp Looks Oddly Familiar

4/12/2012 2:20 PM ET

Google+ unveiled a major revamp of its service Thursday, with many of the previous components being replaced with Facebook-style features. Among the updates, users will now have a live feed called a "stream" and components for photo and check-in.

One change clearly made to mimic Facebook is the "Share what's new..." banner along the top of the stream, an almost identical mock-up of Facebook's status update bar asking "What's on your mind?"

Google said the changed features are meant for easier navigation by users.

"Taken together, these powers make it easier to access your favorites, and to adjust your preferences over time," Senior VP Vic Gundotra said on the company blog. "We've also built the ribbon with the future in mind, giving us an obvious (and clutter-free) space for The Next Big Feature, and The Feature After That."

The site makeover will also add a push behind their "Hangout" feature in which users can make contact and video chat.

"We think you'll find it easier to use and nicer to look at, but most importantly, it accelerates our efforts to create a simpler, more beautiful Google," Gundotra added.